Sanomalan printing house has significantly reduced its emissions in recent years. A single home-delivered issue of Helsingin Sanomat now has a carbon footprint of about 70 grams of CO2 equivalent, which is only a small fraction of an average Finn’s greenhouse gas emissions. The reductions are driven, among other things, by a transition to fossil-free energy and close collaboration with partners.
A single home-delivered newspaper, like the Helsingin Sanomat, printed by the Sanomala printing house generates average greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of approximately 70 grams of CO₂ equivalent. This corresponds to roughly 0,2 kilometres of driving with an average car. The annual GHG emissions of a newspaper subscription for the Helsingin Sanomat are approximately 25 kilograms of CO₂ equivalent. According to the Finnish Environment Institute, the average annual carbon footprint of a Finnish resident is around 7,000 kg of CO₂ equivalent. The annual subscription to a print newspaper accounts for only a small fraction of the average Finnish person’s annual emissions.
“Compared to 2021, Sanomala’s absolute emissions have decreased by 69%, while the relative emissions – i.e. emission intensity – have declined by 33%. Sanomala’s printing operations’ absolute emissions amounted to 14,383 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent in 2021 and a total of 5,764 tonnes in 2025. The relative share and emission reduction have been calculated in relation to production volumes,” says Eveliina Nygren, Sanoma’s Sustainability Manager.
Sanomala’s print facility in Vantaa has invested, for example, in the use of fossil-free energy, the procurement of renewable district heating, and the optimisation of energy consumption using artificial intelligence. Also the emissions from materials used have decreased. Sanoma’s procurement has engaged in systematic collaboration with, for example, paper suppliers, material suppliers and logistics partners, whose investments in emissions reduction have supported Sanoma’s transition.
Sanoma first assessed the greenhouse gas emissions generated by a printed newspaper as early as 2010, but since 2021 the calculations have been carried out using comparable methodologies. The calculation covers GHG emissions from the printing facility’s energy consumption, paper production, other materials, transportation, and waste management. The carbon footprint does not include the editorial process or emissions generated after the newspaper has been read, for example during the handling of paper waste. Sanomala also provides its customers with carbon footprint calculations for printed newspaper products.
The emissions from newspaper production have been calculated using the Climate Calc tool, which is widely used across Europe in the printing industry and maintained by the Federation of the Printing Industry in Finland. The figures have been verified by a third party. The Climate Calculator is based on a carbon footprint calculation standard for the printing industry developed by the European printing industry association Intergraf. It is an international standard focused specifically on calculating the carbon footprint of printing operations and printed products. In addition, ClimateCalc complies with both ISO 14064-1 and ISO 16759 standards, as well as the international Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol) methodology for emissions accounting. Sanomala’s certificate can be found on the ClimateCalc’s website.
Reducing the carbon footprint of newspapers is part of Sanoma’s climate strategy and science-based emission reduction targets. Sanoma reduced its own Scope 1 and 2 emissions across the organisation by 59% compared to 2021, and its Scope 3 value chain emissions by 46% by 2025. For more information, visit Sanoma.com/sustainability
Sanoma
Sanoma is an innovative and agile learning and media company impacting the lives of millions every day. Across Europe, we support teachers and students with the best-in-class learning content and solutions to help all students reach their potential. We combine pedagogical expertise with quality content and innovative educational technologies to help shape the future of K12 education.
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